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Hockey

Blast push for playoffs without No. 1 goaltender

If the Brantford Blast are going to make the Allan Cup Hockey playoffs, it appears the team will have to do it without starting goaltender Brett Leggat.

Leggat, who has been phenomenal for the Blast this season, was handed a seven-game suspension following an incident in Stoney Creek on the weekend.

Brantford has eight regular-season games remaining - including a Friday game at the civic centre against the Hamilton Steelhawks at 7:30 p.m. The Blast are last in the five-team league, five points behind the Dundas Real McCoys for the fourth and final playoff spot.

Up 3-0 against the first-place Generals on Saturday, Brantford saw that lead evaporate as Stoney Creek tied the game at 3-3 on its way to an eventual 6-5 victory.

Blast general manager Darren Watson said that Stoney Creek's third goal shouldn't have counted.

"The net was off the mooring," Watson said. "The puck did go in after the whistle and it was right after a huge save that Legger made."

That's when Leggat said something that led to his suspension.

"In the heat of the moment, (Leggat) was so into that game, he wanted to win so badly, he just said something," said Watson.

"He regrets it."

What did Leggat say to earn himself a seven-game suspension?

Watson, who was on the bench, said he is not sure what was said or to whom. And Leggat did not want to comment.

What Watson will say is that the incident is out of character for Leggat.

"He's a gentleman and a first-class individual," the Blast general manager said. "He's always helping out at team events. He's that type of a team guy."

Asked whether the team will appeal, Watson said it's unlikely that the suspension will be reversed.

"We are trying to but it's so hard in this league to get some things overturned," he said. "Once they make their decision, so often they stick with it."

Complicating the Blast's precarious playoff push is the fact that Brantford recently released longtime netminder Anthony Marshall, who promptly signed with the Dundas Real McCoys.

"We just looked at our roster situation, where we were at and what we needed and decided at that time to release Marshall," said Watson.

"As of late, (Leggat) was our No. 1 starter."

Marshall had been nursing an injury for the past couple of months.

"He's a great individual," Watson said of Marshall, who didn't ask to be released or traded. "He helped us win an Allan Cup.

"He's a great guy who is good in the dressing room. I don't have anything ill to say about him. I wish him luck."

So, the team's starting goalie job falls to 22-year-old Tyler Lewis.

"Tyler is our go-to guy right now," Watson said. "I spoke to him at practice and he's excited and eager for this opportunity."

Lewis, a St. George native, most recently played in the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League with the St. George Ravens. Prior to that, he was with the Georgetown Raiders, Milton Icehawks and Cobourg Cougars in the Ontario Junior Hockey League.

Right now, the Blast will use a pair of goalies from the Provincial Junior Hockey League - Gavin McLeod of the Simcoe Shamrocks and Eric Chant of the Burford Bulldogs - as backups.

"Those will be our two backup goalies in the interim," said Watson. "We're in talks with a couple of other goalies that we're looking at. Both of them have a very good pedigree behind them.

"I feel confident that we can get one or both of them and they can help us as well."

As the season winds its way to a conclusion, Watson said he remains confident in his team.

"When we have our full roster, we can beat anyone in this league," he said.

"We're just going to go one game at a time and battle. We're going to do everything we can for the best fans in the league."

Allan Cup Hockey (as of Jan. 18)

Team GP W L OTL PTS

Stoney Creek 18 12 4 2 38

Whitby 15 11 4 0 29

Hamilton 16 8 7 1 24

Dundas 15 5 8 2 17

Brantford 16 4 12 0 12

(Three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime win, one point for an overtime loss)